Wednesday, June 22, 2005

The Ritzcarltonian Weapon!

The most under estimated secret weapon in recruiting. The RECRUITING COORDINATOR! We, visionary recruiters, sit around talking about all the technology hoopla to help us attract, find and on-board candidates but who/what really makes it all happen? Is it the technology that listens to the candidates’ individual concerns, gets them flawlessly from point A to point B, takes care of their every need and ensures their experience with your company is Ritz Carltonian? Heck No! It’s the recruiting coordinator.

I would put my money on a recruiting coordinator any day over any of the next generation recruiting technology out there. Give me MS Outlook, give me the Internet and give me a coordinator and I will hire the best and brightest professionals.

Let’s face it, we’re recruiters and if we know a thing or two about recruiting we can find a candidate blind folded, sitting at table in Starbucks on a Sunday morning. We really don’t need 10K per seat technology solutions to solve our recruiting woes. Yes these little bells and whistles help but this is a relationship business. Once we find them then what. If we are efficient we need to be able to quickly establish an honest, mutually beneficial relationship and maintain this throughout the recruiting process. BUT, we also have to find new candidates for other positions. So how on earth do we make that person feel valued when we are constantly on the prowl for new talent? Do you believe technology will do this for you? Your weekly sales logic pop-up appears and you do your check in call? I have a better idea. You work with a recruiting coordinator that knows your business, the teams you support, your style, your objectives and they take the candidate once you have established the relationship. That’s how you recruit!

Look, this isn’t a slam on all the great technology tools out there. This is about thinking of the most treasured resources we have and investing in them. I’m successful at my job because of the recruiting coordinator I work with. I have been able to hire some of the top talent in my industry because of her. We have had executive talent come in and interview with us while also talking to some of the top brand companies in the world. We ended up hiring many of them. The one consistent thing we always hear is awesome they were treated throughout interview process. Our coordinators roll out the red carpet.

Think about how you would like to be treated in an interview process. If there was a representative from a company that worked with you on your customized flight itinerary, gave you your interview schedule well in advance, bios on the interviewers, information on the role and organization, got your lunch order, gave you clear instructions on how to submit any expenses you incur what would you remember when the interview was said and done with. How would you feel, and more importantly, how hard would it be to turn down an offer from such and amazing company.

Next time you go to work walk over to your recruiting coordinator and thank them for helping you be a great recruiter.